


and this is my Ashes

by zinabug



Series: Lily of-many-names [1]
Category: The Mechanisms (Band)
Genre: Fluff, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-07
Updated: 2020-10-07
Packaged: 2021-03-07 17:42:27
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 941
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26881636
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/zinabug/pseuds/zinabug
Summary: “And that’s Ashes, they’re really good at cards and shootin’ and they can sing really well too! They play bass. Someday I’m going to learn how to play bass and be just like them.” Lily hopped up and down in place a couple times, grinning.Ashes smiled slightly too, looking away from the tiny girl standing in a ray of sunshine from the doorway and back to the list of supplies again. They could think about the little bubble of warmth blooming in their chest later.
Relationships: Ashes O'Reilly & Lily (original character)
Series: Lily of-many-names [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1962349
Comments: 8
Kudos: 37
Collections: Lilly-of-Many-Names Tales





	and this is my Ashes

**Author's Note:**

  * For [OddmentsandTweaks](https://archiveofourown.org/users/OddmentsandTweaks/gifts).



“And they perform music all over the galaxy!” 

“That’s nice.” 

Ashes glanced back over to the merchant they were currently negotiating with, satisfied that Lily was happy. The merchant they were currently talking to had a teenage son, who was sitting cross legged on a crate with a book in his lap and listening to Lily yammer on and on about the mechanisms. He seemed to be tolerating her just fine. 

“An’ my auntie Raph can  _ fly,  _ she’s got wings and she carried me all around our spaceship once! And my ant Ivy is really smart, she know  _ everything-”  _

Ashes smiled slightly and continued looking at their shopping list. Just some basic supplies, to get them through to their next stop. They had to think about food much more since Lily was on board now, make sure she was getting enough to eat and all the right nutrients and all that— suddenly, Ashes caught their own name in Lily’s ramble. 

“And that’s Ashes, they’re really good at cards and shootin’ and they can sing really well too! They play bass. Someday I’m going to learn how to play bass and be just like them.” Lily hopped up and down in place a couple times, grinning. 

Ashes smiled slightly too, looking away from the tiny girl standing in a ray of sunshine from the doorway and back to the list of supplies again. They could think about the little bubble of warmth blooming in their chest later. 

* * *

Ashes had paid for the supplies— with  _ mostly _ honest money— and had gotten the help of the merchant to drive them over to the Aurora. They had purchased far too much for one mechanism and one small, overexcited girl to deal with. 

They didn’t quite need that much, but Ashes had gotten a little carried away. Besides, Lily absolutely loved baking— and a crate of cake mixes suitable for a young child to mix together wouldn’t hurt anyone. Certainly it wouldn’t hurt Ashes, the designated “adult supervision” for Lily’s baking projects despite grumbling from Jonny. They loved baking with her, loved the way her excitement filled the whole kitchen, loved sharing the finished product with her. 

Lily was still chattering away from where she was sitting in the back seat, telling a story that sounded like she’d heard it from Jonny. It was certainly sad enough. 

“Oh! And you’ve got to meet the rest of my family when we stop at our ship! They’re so cool, right, Ashes?” 

“Sure.” if anyone could drag the whole crew of the Aurora out to meet a random merchant and a teenager, it would be Lily. she’d even gotten Nastya to leave the aurora for the first time in… thousands of years, probably. Nastya never left the aurora if she could help it. 

“Oh look! We’re here!” Lily bounced up and down in her seat some more. 

“That’s your ship?” the merchant asked. “It’s huge. How big is your crew?” 

“Oh- eight.” Ashes said. 

“Nine! I’m crew!” Lily announced. 

“Only eight of you?” the merchant shook his head. “Wow.”

“Nine!” Lily squeaked. “I’m! Crew!”

“Yes, Kiddo.” Ashes dearly wanted to ruffle Lily’s baby undercut so bad, but she was out of reach in the back seat. “You’re crew too.” 

Lily grinned and bounced some more, as the merchant stopped the car and Ashes got out. Lily dashed towards the Aurora, yelling something over her shoulder about getting everyone else. 

Ashes smiled and started unloading crates. 

They were close to done when Lily came back out, dragging Jonny by one hand and Ivy, by the other, still reading as she walked. They were followed by the rest of the mechs in various moods from “I’m tolerating this small child.” to “this is the cutest thing I’ve ever seen and I’m excited to meet Lily’s friends.” 

“Okay!” Lily hopped up onto one of the crates. “I couldn’t find Nastya but this is everyone else! This is my dad, but he likes being called Jonny better.” Jonny grinned wolfishly at the pair Lily was introducing him to. 

“This is my aunt Ivy, she’s reading.” Ivy gave a short nod and turned the page. 

“This is my Auntie Raph!” Raphaella took off her safety goggles and waved. 

“My uncle Brian.” Brian tipped his hat. 

“My uncle Tim!” Tim, absolutely covered in ash, waved cheerfully. 

“My Uncle Baron Dr. Marius!” Marius grinned and swept a dramatic bow. 

“The Toy Soldier! It’s my friend” Lily pointed at the TS, and it saluted. 

Lily hopped off the crate and ran over to Ashes, wrapping her arms around their waist. “And this is my Ashes.”

“I’m  _ your  _ Ashes, Kiddo?” Ashes asked, trying very hard to keep the slight tremble out of their voice as they ruffled Lily’s hair. 

“You’re my Ashes!” Lily said. 

Lily herded the mechs back inside, and Ashes finished the rest of their transactions in a blur.  _ You’re my Ashes. You’re my Ashes.  _ Ashe’s O’Reilly has been a member of the lucky sevens, the bassist and quartermaster of the mechanisms, but they have never been somebody’s like this. They’ve never been loved like Lily loved them before- because Lily loved them like family, and Lily loved with her whole heart. 

* * *

“Lily got to you too.” Ashes looked up from where they were strapping down the supply crates in one of the storerooms to see Jonny in the doorway. 

“Fuck of, D’ville.” 

“You’ve gone soft…” Jonny said, in a singsong voice. 

“I said fuck off.” 

“Nope.” Jonny sat down on one of the crate stacks and sighed. “She’s really something, isn’t she.” 

Ashes smiled down at their hands.  _ I’m Lily’s Ashes.  _

“Yeah. she really is.” 


End file.
